Great list, just a few things I would add...
A couple of major tea herbs have been left out of this list that should definitely be included.
Comfrey - Major source of NPK as well as other micro nutrients and minerals mined from the Earth's subsoil.
Stinging Nettle - Another great balanced source of NPK, large amounts of Calcium and other minerals and vitamin C, used in Bio-Dynamic farming to give intelligence to the soil.
"Stinging nettle stimulates soil health, providing plants with the individual nutrition components needed. It enlivens the earth and helps to release iron into the soil. Helps to improve the potency of plants by increasing their sensitivity and individualizing them to their surroundings. Improves the nutritive qualities of plants. Mars forces are said to manifest in stinging nettle."
Chamomile - Full of minerals and other plant stimulating compounds, chamomile teas can boost the plants own immunity to disease or pests, and help balance and regulate plant growth.
Valerian - Source of minerals and phosphorus.
"Valerian helps to concentrate phosphorous in the plant and this in turn aids with the plants capacity to attract light in the photosynthesis process. It stimulates the phosphate activating bacteria in the soil. Valerian deals with the forces from Saturn."
Dandelion (flowers and leaves) - NPK, minerals, immune boosting properties, used in Bio-Dynamic farming to help plants "tune in" the the environment and draw nutrients or needed minerals where they are needed.
"Dandelion gives the soil a living, ethereal quality with the ability to supply the substances a plant needs. It increases a plants sensitivity and helps it to attract beneficial elements from a wider area. Dandelion works strongly with silica and potassium and, via silica, draws in forces from the outer planets, particularly Jupiter."
Yarrow - Contains potassium, selenium and sulfur, used in Bio-Dynamic farming to "bring light forces into the soil via its connection with sulfur, helping spirit to penetrate matter and enables it to attract trace elements. Important for reproduction and growth. Venus forces are said to manifest in yarrow."
White Oak Bark - Combats disease, used in Bio-Dynamic farming to "work very strongly with calcium and is an excellent remedy for plant diseases including fungus. It helps to restore balance with the ether body of the plant and control rampant growth. Moon forces become active in the plant in a healthy manner with oak bark. Extended use of the oak bark will help to raise the ph of the soil without the need to add lime."
All text in "quotes" was taken from
http://cityfoodgrowers.com.au/biody_prep.php?phpMyAdmin=Z,IJJ48cThaTKeB7RCzlHYx-gCf
All of these herbal teas can be brewed a number of ways, and the Bio-Dynamic people have their own ways of doing each one, however, based on my experience and intuition, whether you simply throw the stuff in a bucket for 2 weeks, use a small air stone and molasses to brew up some microbes, or bio-ferment and bury them in the earth according to the celestial movements... Anyway you use them, they will help.
Personally, I brew the herbs up altogether, individually or in mixes, in cheese cloth, usually with a bit of home made worm castings, in PH neutral filtered water. I add a couple tablespoons of raw honey and bubble them with an air stone for 3 days.
(I have gone up to 5 days, but the thick head of bacterial foam seems to peak around 3 days)
I use it 12:1 or 15:1.
Also, if you do not grow your own herbs (very easy and beautiful to do in any yard, most being perennials) make sure you buy organically grown herbs, the microbes your trying to grow do not like chemicals (pesticides, fungicides and tap water)
Thanks for reading!
